Hormone treatments - oral contraceptive pills, this can affect a quarter of melasma sufferers, intrauterine devices and implants & hormone replacement can also be an important factor

A phototoxic reaction to certain medications may also trigger melasma.

Melasma is often associated with the female hormones estrogen and progesterone.

Deficiency of Folic Acid during pregnancy can also lead to development of Melasma.

Symptoms

Tan, dark brown patches, that form in an irregular shape. These patches usually develop on the upper cheek, upper lip and forehead. And fade over time, but there are no other symptoms other than cosmetic ones.

Treatment

Melasma usually dissapears after giving birth or stopping the contraceptive pill etc, treatments to hasten the darkend patches include:-

Hydroquinone (HQ) either in over-the-counter (2%) or prescription (4%) strength. Hq is an enzyme involved in the production of melanin.

Tretinoin - which is a acid, to help the skin turnover, whic can also be used in pregnancy.